SoccerToronto FC must do the right thing

Beginning of Story Content

Until five years ago, I had never heard of Terry Fox. Plenty of Canadians are household names in the U.K. but, unless they stumble across the facts, or take the trouble to educate themselves, most Britons assume they're American.
 
Names like Gordon Lightfoot, William Shatner, Mike Myers, Shania Twain, even Wayne Gretzky, all successfully exported to Europe. Despite annual runs in his honour across the globe, Fox's story of bravery, determination and stubbornness had never entered my consciousness.
 
It didn't take long to get myself up to speed. This past weekend marked the 30th anniversary of his heroic Marathon of Hope. The work to aid cancer research endures three decades after Terry Fox captured the imagination of a nation.
 
He just wanted to do the right thing. Even though osteosarcoma had robbed him of a promising athletic career, Fox was trying to raise both awareness and money so that those who came after him would not be forced to suffer as he had done.    
 
Terry Fox never reached his destination. But he did achieve his goal more brilliantly than perhaps he ever imagined possible. He was the embodiment of a true Canadian icon - hard as nails as he ran through the daily pain, yet humble and appreciative of every donated dollar.
 
It occurred to me over the weekend: Toronto FC is, for the first time, being run by Canadians. The British-American-Serbian power base has been cast aside. All the men entrusted with the immediate future of the franchise are from around here.
 
I hope it makes a difference. I hope, like Terry Fox, they are proud Canadians determined to do the right thing. Earl Cochrane, Jim Brennan and Nick Dasovic among others have been given the mandate and authority to change the fortunes of the franchise.

Vested interest
 
These aren't just hired hands, parachuted in to fix the mess and move on. These are people who live and work here, some grew up here and all have a long association with Canadian soccer. They need soccer to survive and prosper, not just in Toronto, but across the country.
 
These are people who have been away and come home. Brennan and Dasovic both enjoyed successful playing careers in the U.K. where the game is a religion and almost every town has a team. They understand how football can become part of the fabric of society.
 
Both represented their country with distinction. Between them, Brennan and Dasovic racked up more than 100 caps for Canada and only an injury prevented Dasovic joining his teammates in celebrating the 2000 CONCACAF Gold Cup triumph.
 
Cochrane understands the importance of effective communication. He, too, came home after honing his skills in the Far East and later with the best team in Major League Soccer. Cochrane spent a couple of years with DC United and learned firsthand how a successful franchise is run.      
 
It is up to these experienced professionals to put Toronto FC back on the map. The cloak and dagger operation of their predecessors cannot be tolerated. Their collective challenge is to produce a winning team both on and off the field.

Games to be won
 
They must be open, accountable and considerate. Players and office staff alike must be valued and man-managed with respect. I don't want to hear any more lurid stories of behind the scenes shenanigans. There are games to be won and tickets to be sold.
 
The fans aren't stupid. Neither are they naive. Their devotion to the cause is admirable given the lack of progress on the pitch. They know more changes are coming and the revolving door will continue to rotate during the off-season.

All they really want is a stable, competitive team. Four years on, they are still waiting.

Other teams in this league have shown how quickly it can be done. Seattle galloped into the playoffs as an expansion team and is well set to repeat this year.
 
New York was a good team before Thierry Henry and Rafa Marquez checked in from the World Cup. Less than a year ago they were the whipping boys of MLS. Hans Backe, it would seem, is living proof that employing an MLS-savvy head coach is unnecessary.
 
Backe, and his Seattle counterpart Sigi Schmid, have something Toronto FC has never had: a winning track record. Their respective resumes add up to the same thing - respect from the roster. Players want to play for them, knowing there's a good chance of success.
 
They're willing to stick with the system, even when times are hard. Almost every team, however successful, will hit a "sticky" spell at some stage during a season. Faith and perseverance, rather than knee jerk reactions, will often lead a team out of trouble.
 
Switching coaches and players as frequently as Toronto FC has done leads only to uncertainty. Where there is doubt, there is mistrust. No worker can function at his or her best when constantly forced to glance over their shoulder.
 
Terry Fox never doubted he could run across Canada, even on one leg. He trusted himself and those around him to help get the job done. His unbendable Canadian spirit, in the face of insurmountable odds, sustained him longer than it probably should.
 
I am proud I now know his story. We should all take a leaf out of his book.

End of Story Content